Cloth-holding device for buttonhole attachments



Jan. 2, 1951 l w, F, ALLENBY. i 2,536,620

CLOTH-HOLDING DEVICE FOR BUTTONHOLE ATTACHMETS Filed oct. 22, 1949 2 sheets-sheet 2 zx/( f M Cttornegs Patented Jan. 2, 1951 CLOTH-HOLDING DEVICE FOR BUTTON- HOLE ATTACHMENTS William F. Allenby, Stratford, Conn., assigner to The Greist Manufacturing Company, New Haven, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Application October 22, 1949, Serial No. 122,901

Claims.

This invention relates to sewing-machine attachments and more particularly to a cloth-holding device for certain of such attachments, or a means to prevent the cloth being pulled upwardly by the needle when itis withdrawn from the cloth, or other material being sewed, upon the upward movement of the needle bar.

As illustrated, the invention is applied to a buttonhole attachment designed to be attached to the usual household sewing machine after removal of the usual presser foot, the attachment being secured to the usual presser bar. In the use of certain of these attachments, such for example as a device for stitching buttonholes, where the feeding foot must be provided with a relatively large slot through which the needle operates, difficulty is some times encountered in that the cloth which is being sewed will tend to blouse or be drawn upwardly with the upward movement of the needle. This is due to the fact that the edges of the slot in the feeding foot do not lie closely adjacent the needle and, therefore, cannot hold the cloth downwardly upon the machine bed at points close to the needle.

It is contemplated by the present invention to provide a movable cloth-holding member which will be carried by the attachment and which is provided with a holding foot, or end portion, which will lie relatively close to the needle. This member is actuated or moved by the fork arm, or some other movable part of the attachment, so that when the fork arm descends to drive the needle through the material being sewed the forward or operating end of the holding member will be moved downwardly against the cloth or material and will remain in this position during the initial portion of the upward movement of the needle. Thus, the holding member will prevent the lifting of the cloth by the needle until the latter is loosened from the material, at which time, the holding member will be raised from the Y cloth to permit release of the latter for the feeding operation.

In other words, while the cloth is held down against the bed when the needle begins its upward stroke so that it will be loosened from the cloth and not draw the latter upwardly witnit, the cloth will be released after the needle is drawn therefrom so that it will not be gripped or held during the feeding movements of the cloth and, therefore, will not interfere with these feeding movements. The hold-down device being actuated from the fork arm or some other movable part of the device which is in turn actuated by the f ork arm. will be synchronized in its move- 2 ment with that of the needle bar and with the feed mechanism so as not to interfere with the normal sewing operations.

One object of the present invention is to provide a cloth-holding device for a sewing-machine attachment such as a buttonhole attachment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cloth-holding attachment for a buttonhole or similar sewing-machine attachment which will engage the cloth being sewed and hold the same against blousingf but at the same time release he cloth so as not to interfere with the proper feeding of the latter.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cloth-holding device for a buttonhole or similar attachment which device comprises a substantially L-shaped or bell-crank lever pivoted upon the frame of the attachment, the lever having a forward end or foot to engage the cloth adjacent the needle ofthe sewing machine, and which will be operated or moved pivotally by a member attached to the fork arm so that it will engage the cloth at the proper time to prevent the latter being drawn upwardly by the needle, and thereafter release the cloth for the clothfeeding operation.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a cloth-holding device for buttonhole or like attachments, which device comprises a lever pivoted on the frame of the attachment having an 'end or foot portion to engage the material being sewed, this end or foot portion being raised positively from contact with the material during a part of the upward movement of the fork arm of the sewing machine and which, when released by a downward movement of the fork arm, will be urged downwardly against the material by spring tension.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a hold-down device for buttonhole attachments for sewing machines, which device is pivoted to the frame of the attachment upon an axis extending longitudinally thereof and is provided with an upstanding portion or arm which may be cammed outwardly by an upward movement of the needle bar so as to raise the holding Afoot from engagement with the material.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the front portion of the attachment, some parts being broken away for the sake of clearness;

Fig. 5 is a View of the hold-down lever and the bracket upon whichY it is secured;

Fig. 6 a View" sim'lar to" Fig; 4 modified form of my invention;

showing a Fig. '7 is a top plan view of the parts shown in feed'blade., The pivot pin I3 may-be 'adjusted in the slot I-by means of `the adjusting arm I5 attached to the pivot pin at its forward end and provided adjacent its rear end with aplurality of 4 and of the cam wheel 32 secured to this shaft. As' has already been described, rotation of the cam wheel will effect lateral oscillation of the lever 2F; and lateral feeding movements of the work.

Secured to the shaft 22 is a ratchet wheel 4'1, the teeth of which are .adapted to intermittently vengage a'gresilient pawl 'i3 fixed tothe frame upon oscillation of the lever 2Q. The engagement of the teeth of the ratchet l'I by the pawl 48 during lateral movements of the lever 24 will effect step-bystep-rotation of the shaft 22 and, there- 'foreyof the pinion 2i step-bysteprotationJ of the pinion 2i, by its encarried thereby. This l-gagernentwiththe teeth of the rack 2t, causes *longitudinal movements of the feed blade I2 to which the rack is secured, so as to eilect longi- "`tudiiial'lrioveinentsfof the cloth for proper oblong teeth I6 designed to be engaged with the flanged edge I'l of a housing member IS mounted upon the frame.

Secured to the lfeed blade I2 isqan endless rack 1 member 2E), the teeth of which are engaged by those of a lpinion '2l mounted -upon a shaft 22, which shaft -is'rotatably mounted in a housing 23 carried by an actuating lever 2@ pivoted at 25 upon the frame plate II.

The rack member 2 may be held in place by va cover plate 26 pivoted to the frame at 2li and provided with a hat spring member 2S which engages Athe lower sidejof the rack member 23.

VThe lever 24 oscllates -in a substantially hori- Vzon-tal plane about the pivot pin and at the v'forward end of'this lever is provided a pin or ,roller which acts-asa cam follower and is ydisposed lin the cam-track 3l of' a cam wheel 32,

this camwheel being secured to a shaft 33 rotatably-mounted in-spaced opstanding frame menibersiwhich may be formed integrally with a plate 35 riveted or otherwise securedto the -base -plate il, ,Also secured 'to the members Sil is an VVadapter V35 by which-the device may be secured vto the presser bar of .a sewing machine vafter the v*presser foot ,has been removed.

Itnwill be obvious from ythe above arrangement that whenfthe ca m wheel 32 is'rotated, the

lever 2liY will be oscillated Vas will'also the pinion ,2| carried thereby, andthe engagement -of this pinion with the teeth, of the rack 2Q will eiiect oscillation of the Afeed blade and ythereby effect llateral movements of the work due to the fact -that a feeding foot 3l is carried at the-forward end ofthe feed blade I2. As shown in Fig. 2, this feeding foot provided with a relatively large oblong opening 33 through which the needle is designed to operate and this foot may be roughened as shown at S9 on its lower face so as -toproperly engage and move the material which is being sewed.

Secured to the shaft 33 is a ratchet wheel fl'ii,

Y"the teeth` of which are engaged by a pawl 4i Ypivoted at 4 2; to a forkarm i3 loosely mountedupon thenshaft 33, this Vpawl being urged vinto engagement withthe ratchet wheel by thespring t. The fork arm 3 is provided with a lbiiu-rcated end -5 5 designed to Vbe engaged with the needle Vbar vof 'the sewing machine so that 4the arm 53 will be reciprocated upon reciprocation ofthe needle bar. This will efectstepby-step rotation cft'he ratchet wheellllfand, therefore, of the shaft 33,

`stitclii'ngfaround the buttonhole.

The operation of the parts above described is substantially like that of the device shown in the Almquist Patent No .".`2,42,607,"g`ra`nted September 20, 1949, so that no further -descrifpti'on"there- V`ofv is believed -to be necessary. It will be 'apparent, however, that upon oscillation of 'the "fork A-arinll :bythe-.needle bar of the sewing machine the mechanism will cause'the materialeigag'ed by the feeding foot 3l to be moved'lat'erally and .at ,the same time feed longitudinally so that it will travel in a generally oblong path andefect a line of zig-zag stitches at each side or" the buttonhole.

f As shown more-especially in Figs; 2', 4`A andf5, a

bracket-56 is secu-red to the base pl'atev'II by screws or rivets 5|, this brackethaving an' upstanding part 52 to which is pivoted'at`53 a holddown lever 550i generally |.-.shaped or bell-crank form.v rIfhis'lever is 4provided with a forward horizontallyextended por-tion 55, the front end of 'whichis turned downwardly to provide a down- AUAwarcgly extending holding foot 5E. Adjacent the pivot- 53, thelever is provided withan upstanding arm 5l, the forward end of which is cam-shaped as shown at 58.

The Iforward cam-shaped' portion 58 -.of y-the lever is'engaged by a projection providedaupon the-fork=arm 43,-and-in this case the Yprojection Imay-be provided byextendng laterally, lasshown It will, of course, be vappa-rent that a separate fprojection may be providedfupon -the-forkarm if desired. As `the-'pinV 59 in --engagement only with the forward face vofv the lever- ,arm 5l,- i-t -will HmOVethelatter in one direction-vonly-during-os -cillation^of the `fork armv which-in-this caselis a clockwise yor rearwarddirection.

Movement -of -the Alever/arm "5l lin the other direction is effected by a'spring-Sd coiled about the'fpivotfS Yof `the lever, the :spring-having one end -in'fengagement with the lever -a.1'm'5-'I-and Aits other endbearing against the-bracket 5 0. It will be apparent. therefore,that thefspringf will tendto urge the arm 57 in a forward direction so as-toresiliently -urge the 'holding foot 56 downwardly or against lthe material being sewed. l The forward cam' face 58of `the lever arm `5'I- is so shaped that at -the lower end of the down- Hward stroke Vof the 'needlebar Ythe pin-59 wllbe disengaged from the face of the arm 51 andwill permit thespringil to urge the lever forwardly and maintain the holding foot A56 in engagement "with the Amaterial.V For-thisv purposel'the lever arm 51 may be provided with an inw'ardlylreoessed portion 6I whichY will receive the pin'59 tand operate' "as a Adwell" tolfpermit acerta-in assaeao lower end of its stroke without effecting movement of the lever 54.

In Fig. 1 of the drawingsfthe fork arm is shown at the upper end of its stroke and it will be noted that the pin 59 is in engagement with arm travels downwardly, the pin 59 travels downgoods when ythe fork'arm' and needle*- bar*y are raised'.

While I have shown and described some preferred embodiments of my invention, it will'tbe wardly over the forward edge of the lever portion 51 retaining the holding foot 56 out of engagement with the cloth until it passes over the cam surface 58. At this time, the pin travels into the recess el and releases the lever 54`so' that the holding foot is urged into engagement with the material by the spring 60. The fork arm may continue its travel downwardly as requiredk and then begins its ascent. As soon as vthe pin 59 is raised to a sufficient extent to engage the cam surface 58, the holding foot 56 is.

again raised from the cloth and, during the remainder of the ascent of the needle bar, it isheld out of engagement with the cloth. By the time the pin 59 reaches the cam surface 58, the needle has been loosened from the material so that the latter will not be drawn upwardly with the needle.

In Figs. 6 to 8 of the drawings, 1 have shown a somewhat modified form of my invention in which the hold-down lever is pivoted to the frame upon an axis extending longitudinally thereof. In this instance a bracket 65 is secured to the plate I l, this bracket having an Mpstanding portion 66 extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal dimension of the at-"' tachment. A hold-down lever 61 is provided with a transversely extending ange 68 (Fig. 8)

pivoted at 69 to the bracket member 65. The n.

lever 61 is provided with a forwardly extendingarm 1l) carrying the hold-down foot 1| which v I extends into the elongated slot 38 of the feeding foot and is also provided with an upwardly extending arm 12 which, at its upper end, is bent inwardly as shown at 13 (Fig. 8).

The fork arm 43 is provided with a projection 14, which in this instance is the head of the pin upon which the pawl 4| is pivoted, and this projection engages the upper end 13 of the lever 61 to rock this lever about its horizontally disposed axis 69.

As shown in full lines in Fig. 8, the fork arm is in a lower position and itrwill be seen that the projection 14 is out of engagement with the upper end 13 of the arm 12 of the lever 61, and the holding foot 1| is in its lowerposition in engagement with the material. When the fork arm is raised, the projection 14 will engage the inner side of the member 13 and will cause the holding lever to be rocked about the pivot 69 to the dotted-line position shown in this gure. This will raise the holding foot 1I out of contact with the goods so as t free the cloth for a feeding operation.

A sping is coiled about the pivot69 and the upper end of this spring, being in engagement with the arrn 12 of the holding lever 61, urges this arm in a counter-clockwise direction as shown in Fig. 8 so as to normally urge the holding foot down upon the material when the lever is released from engagement with the projection 14. It will be seen, therefore, that in this arrangement, also, the holding lever is urged upon the goods by spring pressure and is withdrawn positively from engagement with the understood that it is not to be limited to all of the details shown, but is capable of modification and variation within the spirit of the inventio and within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A sewing-machine attachment comprising.

a frame, a fork arm pivoted thereon and adapted for connection with the needle bar of the sewing machine, a cloth-holding lever pivoted on the frame intermediate its ends, said lever being of L-shaped form and having an arm `extending forwardly from its pivot and terminating in a clo-th-engagingv downwardly-extending foot, and having an arm extending upwardly from its pivot adjacent the Vfork arm, and means on the fork arm engaging said upwardly exf tending arm to move said foot upwardly.

2. A sewing-machine attachment comprising a frame, a fork arm pivoted thereon and adapted for connection with the needle bar of the sewing machine, a cloth-holding lever pivoted on the frame intermediate its ends, said lever being of L-shaped form and having an arm extending forwardly from its pivot and terminating in a clothengaging downwardly-extending foot, and Yhaving an arm extending upwardly from its pivot adjacent the fork arm, means on the fork arm engaging said upwardly extending arm to move said footl upwardly, and spring means engaging said lever to urge said foot downwardly toward the cloth. y. f

3. A sewing-machine attachment comprising a frame, a fork arm pivoted thereon and adapted for connection with the needle bar of the ,sewing machine, a cloth-holding lever pivoted on the frame intermediate its ends, said lever being of L-shaped form and having an arm extending forwardly from its pivot and terminating in a clothengaging downwardly-extending foot, and having an arm extending upwardly from its pivot adjacent the fork arm, and a laterally extending member on the fork arm to engage the forward edge of said upwardly extending arm to move said foot upwardly.

4. A sewing-machine attachment comprising a frame, a fork arm pivoted thereon and adapted for connection with the needle bar of the sewing machine,V a cloth-holding lever pivoted on the frame intermediate its ends, said lever being of L-shaped form and having an arm extending forwardly from its pivot and terminating in a clothengaging downwardly-extending foot, and having an arm extending upwardly from its pivot adjacent the fork arm, and means on the fork arm engaging said upwardly extending arm to move said foot upwardly, the upwardly extending arm of said lever being disposed forwardly of the .pivot of the fork arm.

'fr-ame, a fork arm pivoted thereon and adapted --1or connectionwith the needle bar of the sewing vm'chinepa* cloth-holding lever Vpivoted on the ,Lframef-'intermediatefitsr-ends, said Siever -being of EiLshapedormandrhavingran arm extendinglforwardly 'from its pivotand': terminating .in afclot-hengaging downwardly-extending-ffoot, and having an arm extending upwardlytr'om its pivot adjacent the fori:- farm, :means on Vthe (fork. arm f1=engagingfsaid `,upwardly extending arm to move Lsaiidfoot-upwardly, "said meansl comprisinga .-pin on' the fork farm, a"-paw1 ypivotally Vmounted-on -said,pin,-and alf-'ratchet wheel` with which .said fpawiis engaged.

, aAzs'ewing-machine .attachment comprising a l rame; a fork armwpivoted thereon and adapted oroonnecti'on with theneedle lharzo'f theI sewing f mae'hine;v .afvcloth-.holding .lever wpivoted. on the d-rameiintermediate itsends, vsaid lever being of Lshaped.form and having anarm extending :tor- Wardlyfrom its pivotiand'terminating .in a cloth- -1 ifengaging dovv-nwardlyextending .-foot, and .hav-

fling fan-arm extending upwardly from its pivot x farm engaging 1isaid upwardly extendingl armtto -move-saidlfootLlupwardiyfsaidleverzbeing lpiv-oted -onlanaxisextendinglongitudinally fof `the frame. Afrsewing-machine rattachmenteomprising a rame`, afffork armflpi-voted thereon :and adapted-.30

f8 ...move saidoot upward1y,.said.lever.being pivoted on an axis extending longitudinally ofthe frame, said .means v.comprising a laterally projecting rzmember .carriedby the fork arm.

.5 `9. .Asew-ing-machine.attachment.comprising a frame; a lfork arm pivoted thereonandadapted 1to1-connection with the needle bar of .the sewing fanaehine; a aelothf-holdng .lever i pivotedon .the :frameintermediate .its endsr said lever beingof 10 L--shapedformfand havingganarm.extendingorwardlyfrom its pivotandterminating.in a clothengaging. downwardly-extending .foot,..and hav- .v.ng an arm extending ,upwardly vfrom..its .pivot adjacentl the orkarm-fmeans on the. fork .arm

l15 --engagingsaid `upwardly extending. armto move :said .foot -upward1y,...said lever being pivoted .on vzanz axisextending longitudinally .Lof the ..frame, and t.spring nmeans :engaging .said .lever to vurge Asaid-1230, downwardly toward the cloth.

e107.- Asewing-machine attachment comprising y a frame; aiorkarmfpivoted. thereon andadapted foreonneetion with. the needlebar of the sewing machine, a cloth-holding lever .pivoted on .the .frame intermediate .its ends, said leverdbeingof -shapedform.and having an arm extending rforwardly. from its pivot and terminating in a clothfengaging downwardlyeextending .,foot,L and .hav-

ing an arm extending upwardly fronrits .pivot .ad-jacent the fork arm, means onL the fork arm `engagingsaid.upwardly extending armto move saidoot upwardlyrsaid upwardly. extending .arm having aeam-shapedforward edge and vsaid edge fincluding a portionl engaged by rsaidineans .upon yoscillationof.the `fork arm,.and a portion lying free of engagement of said means.

ALLENBY.

No references oited. 

